Trunk



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. E. MOKENNEY. TRUNK.

No. 552,256. Patented Dec. 31,1895.

AN DREW BJZRMIAM.PNO'IU-UMQWASHINGI'DNDL.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. "G E. MOKENNEY.

TRUNK.

No. 552,255. Patented D55. 31, 1895 BEHAMAWLPHUTO LITNQWASHIHGTON D C UNITE STATES ATENT OFFICE.-

GEORGE E. MGKENNEY, OF onA'r'rANooeA, TENNESSEE.

TRUNK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,256, dated December 31, 1895.

Application filed November 1, 1894. Serial No. 527,659. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. MoKENNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to an improvement in trunks and in the locking mechanism for securely fastening the cover of a trunk or similar receptacle, the object of the improvement being to provide simple and easily-operated means for fastening said cover at the ends; and the invention therefore consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a front perspective View of my improved trunk and its coverlocking mechanism, the latter being shown in its locked posit-ion. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical cross-section of the same with the cover open. Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the cover closed. Fig. 4 is a front elevation similar to Fig. 1 and shows the locking mechanism in its unlocked position. Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 1.- Fig. 7isa detail section on line 7 '7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the corner-plates of the trunk. Fig. 9 is a detail view of one of the locking-plates. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Like letters of reference denote like parts in all the different figures of the drawings.

A denotes a trunk, box, or other receptacle for containing goods, the same being of any size and shape, and having one side or the top open and provided with a cover B. It is immaterial. which face of the trunk is provided with this cover, and I reserve the liberty of arranging it with the top or one of the sides. In the present example of my invention cover B is used to close the front side of the trunk, as shown.

When the trunk is to be opened the cover 13 will roll into the receptacle provided to receive it between the wall 0 and the top of the trunk. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) This wall 0 is preferably horizontally inclined so as to facilitate the rolling motion of the cover. At the edge of wall 0 nearest the open side of the trunk a horizontal shaft 6 having rollers E thereon is journaled at its ends in the opposite ends of the trunk, these rollers E, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, being slightly above the top of the Wall 0. The cover B rolls upon rollers E E, and it furthermore is provided with rollers D near its inner edge, which rollers roll upon the surface of partition 0 when the cover B is being rolled into the receivingreceptacle therefor.

The upper side of cover B at the edge which carries rollers D is furnished with an angleplate I) which provides a hook, and the under side is furnished with a hook or hooks b. The angle-plate b is adapted to engage a corresponding hook-shaped angle-platea when the cover B is closed, (see Fig. 3,) said plate a being fixed horizontally in the front face of the trunk, as shown in Fig. 2, and at the same time that the hook-plate 19 engages the angle-plate a the under hook or hooks b will engage the shaft e near rollers E E and in this way the cover B willbe firmly supported at its inner end when it is closed. Of course when it is thus closed its front edge will be fastened by a look, as L, and if desired by clamps, as Z Z. A cover thus arranged can be opened much more readily and easily than those that require to be lifted from the trunk, because no room is required within which to move the cover and such a cover is therefore especially useful in traveling.

. I will now explain the mechanism which I employ for locking the ends of the cover when it is closed.

F F denote two transverse plates or strips which rest on the cover B at each end and are held partially beneath the angle-plates G that are secured upon the front corner edges of the trunk. These plates F are movable and serve to securely lock cover B. The outer edges of .plates F have the indentations or notches F F, which are adapted to engage the pins 9 9 that pass through the outer part of the angle plates G into the wall of the trunk, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7 In Fig. 1 the plates F are in engagement with the pins 9, but in Fig. 4 the plates F are shifted endwise, as

. pins g.

shown, so as to be disengaged'from the said Plates F are provided with curved slots f, which are entered by pins f projecting thereinto from the surface of the cover B, in which they are fixed. These curved slots f engaged by the fixed pins permit and cause the plates F to move sidewise at the same time that they move endwise. Between the plates F and cover 13 are also the short links I I which are pivoted to the plates F and also to the cover B, as shown. Plates F are perforated with holes J, which are used for the purpose of obtaining access to the links Ifor the purpose of pivoting them to the trunk-cover. The plates F are also provided with handles II, which are pivoted thereto, and which close down upon the plates when not in use, as they are shown in Fig. 10. These handles are located in slots in the plates F, and on the under sides of said plates are flat springs h which bear against the handles H and hold the same locked in either position in which they may be placed. The two positions of handles II are shown in Fig. 10, one of them being indicated in dotted lines. These handles have pins h which are adapted to engage indentations in the cover B and lock the handles and the plates F. Thus it will be seen that the plates or strips F serve to firmly lock the cover when the notches F are in engagement with the pins g, and that by simply lifting the handles II the plates F may be moved endwise and disengaged from pins g and the cover B, and consequently released so that it can be opened in the manner already fully described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a trunk, the combination of the cover, a receptacle for receiving it when the trunk is open, a longitudinal angle-plate at the mouth of this receptacle, a longitudinal angle-plate on the inner edge of one side of the cover and adapted to engage the aforesaid angle-plate, and hooks on the inner edge of the opposite side of the cover, which hooks are adapted to engage fixed parts of the trunk near the mouth of the receptacle, and rollers on one side of the cover which roll upon the side of the receptacle, substantially as described.

2. In a trunk, the combination of the cover, the rollers therefor, the plates hinged to the cover, and shiftable laterally to look the same, substantially as described.

3. In a trunk, the combination of the fixed longitudinal angle-plate, the cover whose inner edge engages it when it is withdrawn, rollers on the cover, and a shaft journaled in the trunk and carrying rollers, together with locking plates at the ends of the cover, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the inner angle-plate, the cover having on one side an angle plate adapted to engage the other angle-plate and having on the opposite side a hook and provided also with rollers, and the rollers j ournaled in the trunk on which the cover moves, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the cover and the fixed pins, secured in the walls of the trunk, of the sliding plates movably attached to the cover and adapted to engage said fixed pins by passing partially beneath the angle plate upon the front corner edges of the trunk, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the cover, the fixed pins, the plates having notches engaging said pins, the links pivoted to the cover and the plates, the pins on the cover engaging slots in the plates and thespring locking handles on the plates, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. MCKENNEY.

\Vitnesses:

W. G. PHILLIPS, J AS. B. ANDERSON. 

